Arched roof construction



Dec. -l2, 1939. F. FRsTER ARCHED ROOF CONSTRUCTIDN Filed Oct. 31, 19,38

In verz kr.-

www

ll thin'bearing walls.

Patented Dec. 12, `1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE aacnnn'noisosiis'rnncrroN v I ApplicationOctober 31, 1938, Serial No. 238,034

In Germany November 2, 193'] i 4 claims. (ci. 10s-1) An object of the invention is to construct a roof 5 covering unit which includes an arch truss con'- struction. f'

Another object of the invention is to prefabricate roof panels of light weight and great strength. y

Anotherobject of the invention is to prefabricate a strong and lightweight roof panel which can be used in the construction of portable or permanent buildings, and which, because of its light weight, can be supported ,upon relatively GenerallyY these objectslof the invention .are obtained by bending a flexible board into arch form, and holding the'poard arched by means of a band l extending between opposite ends-l of the board, l0. this portionv of the .band acting as the lower chord of a truss. The band can be continued to form diagonal bracing between the board and the l chord portion of theband. `A truss is thus created with the-board acting as the upper chord, vand the band l,providing the lower chord and the 'diagonala Vertical posts or struts are added wherever needed. A plurality lof boards can be assembled as 'a prefabricated roofing unit.

'll'he means by which the objects of the inven U tion are obtained is more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: l

Eig. 1 is a cross-sectional view ora roof, and

showing the novel arch truss construction; and

Fig-2 is a bottom .plan view of a prefabrilcatedv roof panel constructed according to this invention.

- In Fig. 1; exible board I is provided with an opening 1 at its'midpolnt, and anopening 5 ad# jacent each en Struts 6 are secured tothe lower` face of board I, these struts beinglocated between opening 1 and openings 5, respectively'.

A band I is stretched across the lower ends of struts 6 and aroundf each end of board I. The tension ii'this band puns the free ends of board I down so thatthe board attains an archedvform, and5 lhand 3 becomes the lower chord vof a truss.

Diagonal bracing' for the truss is'provided'by con,l uing the respective ends of the band down` wardlythrough openings 5, around the lower ends y 0I struts i, upwardly through hole- 1, and then across the upper surface of the board topoints' intermediate/openings 5 andthe ends or board l. The lower chord and the diagonal bracing are.

ESQ .joined to each other and tothe lower end of each its midpoint, and cross-bars Il are secured ad- -is more. fully shownin their midpoints by cross-baril.Y Cross-bars Il is lcompleted by cross-bracing 8.

-light weight, and easily assembled. .The board `ing .capacityiof 100 kg/m2.

strut 6 by any conventionalfastening means, such as nails 6a. Likewise, the free ends of the band 'are lapped at I upon the portions of the band continued around the ends of the board, and are fastened to these portions and to board I by any conventional means, as nails 4a.

For the purpose of assembling a plurality of boards together to form an arched panel, a cross bar 9-is secured to the' underside of the board at lo jacent the ends of the board. BarI S'conveniently becomes a post to which an auxiliary chord I2 is fastened at 9a, this chord I2 extending between'- bars II. As shown'in Fig. 1, bars II act as-m'eans for resting the roof upon side walls Ill.l

The grouping of a plurality of boards together Fig. 2. A plurality of boards 'have their ends secured together by transverse members 2, and are secured together at also act to hold theadjacent boards together. The two outer boards and the centralboard are y each provided with the truss forming band 3,

thus giving the panel an arched form. The panel 25 The invention therefore 'produces [a novel` arched truss composed ora4 board, a'band, and

two struts. This structure is strong', cheap, of

not only functions as the upper chord of the truss, but also as part of the roof covering. A truss made of boards 24 mm. thick,and a steel band 0.9 mm. thick and 24 mm. wide, has a bear- The prefabricated panel of- Fig. 2 has additional advantages of light-v 'ness because fewery metal bands are used, while i at the same time the speedv of erecting a roof. is

increased by the'v larger panels. Of course any conventional roong material can be applied over boards I. y f

1 claim: Y l

v1. An arched truss comprising a board having a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes therein, vertical struts xed to shidiboard, landa-hand extending through one of said holes adjacent-the midpoint of said board, beneath the free endsfof. said struts, and through other of saidholes posi'- tioned between said midpointv andthe endsof saidboard, whereby diagonal bracing zis formed;- said band ,being continued aroundl and'between I said ends-of said board to lform alower chord;

and said chord lbeing ,V tightened to arch said board. v

2. A truss as in claiml 1f further `comprising 55 to.l

means for fastening said chord to each of said struts and diagonal bracing, respectively.

3,'A truss as in claim 1, further com means for fastening the free ends of said band to the outer surface of said board and to the portions of said band between said other holes, respectively, and the ends of said board.

4. An arched truss comprising a board, struts, and a band, said band having its midportion of said boord to the upper surface thereof. downwardiy thererroush. aroimd one of said struts. upwardly thrmgh the vmidpoint of said board, andbeinganehoredtotheoutersurfaofsaid board.

1 mmnmcn Pnsm 

